Valeriy Heletey

Valeriy Heletey (28 August 1967-) was Minister of Defense of Ukraine from 3 July to 14 October 2014, succeeding Mykhailo Koval and preceding Stepan Poltorak.

Biography
Valeriy Heletey was born on 28 August 1967 in Mukacheve Raion, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. He initially worked as an electric mechanic at a truck company before joining the Soviet Army in 1985 and serving in the border troops. In 1988 he started his military career with the police, and he joined HUBOZ, a specialized law enforcement agency that fought against organized crime - he rose to the rank of Colonel. He worked for the State Security Administration and secured promotions to General ranks, and on 20 August 2008 he became a Colonel General. President Oleksandr Turchynov appointed him as Minister of Defense on 3 July 2014, but he was one of the many Ukrainian generals who was inadequate for the task of fighting the Russian Army and the pro-Russian separarists during the Donbass War. After the destructive Battle of Ilovaisk, he was asked to resign by President Petro Poroshenko, and he decided to become the head of the State Security Administration instead.